The Planet’s most incredible locations were created by nature! These “natural wonders” sustain diverse ecosystems. Today’s featured natural wonder: Moeraki Boulders, also called “the bowling balls of giants”!

WHAT ARE THEY?
🗻 Stunning group of 50+ huge round grey boulders strewn along Koekohe Beach, Otago coast, New Zealand’s South Island.
🌊 Buried underground for millions of years and now partly exposed due wave-caused coastal erosion.

FUN FACTS
🪨 Mudstone rock balls cemented together by mineral calcite (“calcite concretions”), found alone and in clusters.
☄️ 60+ million years old, formed during early Paleocene era. Largest boulders took 4+ million years to reach current size!
🔮 Weigh up to 7 tons, with diameter 2-7 ft, and large cracks (“septaria”) filled with mineral deposits radiating from hollow core lined with calcite crystals.

WHY DO THEY MATTER?
🐾 Ecosystem role: Habitat for many wildlife species, both plant and animal.
💰Economic role: Popular tourist attraction and important income source for local community.
🔬Socio-cultural role: key scientific and geologic site. Significant to Maori people, whose legend says boulders are gourds washed ashore from shipwrecked canoe called “Araiteuru”.

ENDANGERED STATUS
🛟 Protected by New Zealand Government.
🎁 19th century photos show more boulders, but people took smaller ones as souvenirs.